


We’ll be just fine, I know that we will

by AutumnHobbit



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: AU: Canon divergence, Angst, Babyfic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feels, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, One-Shot, Pregnancy, Team as Family, This is not graphic at all, gen - Freeform, jsyk, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 06:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2763053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AutumnHobbit/pseuds/AutumnHobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We made a team work with a group of outlaws and thugs. We defeated Ronan the Accuser and saved Xandar. Surely we can figure out how to care for a baby."</p>
            </blockquote>





	We’ll be just fine, I know that we will

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted a Guardians babyfic. This is what wound up happening.  
> The title is from "West" by Sleeping At last.
> 
> I really have no idea where this came from, the idea just got stuck in my head and I had to write it. It's a little weird, but I kind of like it and I hope you will, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peter woke up slowly, gazing lazily up at the metal ceiling for a while. It was peaceful and quiet as the Milano drifted through space. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When he heard Drax and Rocket bustling about, however--and also a few little 'I am Groots'--he threw his blanket off, swung his legs over the side of the bed, and stood up.

He ambled out of his bedroom, walking down the narrow hallway towards the galley. He caught a bit of the conversation. "Here are more eggs, friend Rocket," 

"That and some of these tubers would hit the spot."

 "What spot?"

"Never mind."

"Morning, guys!" Peter said as he stepped into the room.

"Hey, Quill," Rocket said over his shoulder.

"Greetings, Peter," Drax rumbled cheerfully.

"I am Groot!" Groot waved from his pot.

"Good to see y'all, too." Peter said as he dropped into a chair beside the table. Groot waved joyfully at Peter. "I am Groot!" he cheered as he grew his arm out to a few inches longer than its previous length. 

"That's great, buddy!" Peter said enthusiastically. "You're making good progress."

Rocket snorted at the stove as he stirred what smelled like an omlette. "He wouldn't shut up about it _all_ last night. Just prattled about showing you in the morning." He tossed the omlettes onto a plate and set them on the table. 

"Here is the browned bread you requested, Rocket," Drax said as he stuck a plate of toast onto the table. "Quill, are there large toasters on Terra?"

Peter glanced up a bit awkwardly from where he had already bitten off a corner of toast. "Erm...how large?"

"Humanoid sized."

Peter swallowed slowly. "Well...I suppose there are some that are pretty big, but they're not for people."

"But I have heard you say that we would be toast many times."

"It's an expression. It just means that we'll be done for."

"I dunno about you guys, but I think I'm ready to do this meal in." Rocket dropped down and grabbed a fork, protectively covering his plate. He scooped a bit of egg into his mouth and groaned. "Guys, I'm _amazing_."

Peter chuckled as he grabbed his own plate, then paused. He just realized that someone was missing.

He heard footsteps along the hall, and he turned to look. His jaw dropped.

Gamora, admittedly, was green. Naturally green. In humans, that looked bad anyway. But even he could tell that she was pale. Her hair was messy, and she was leaning against the wall as if she were dizzy.

She looked _sick._

He realized that the others were staring, as well, and closed his own mouth. Drawing upon his heaven-sent ability to speak no matter what, he said "Uh, morning Gamora. You...uh...want some breakfast?"

She didn't seem to understand for a moment, then her face twisted slightly. "Uh...no thank you, guys, I just...I think I'll skip this one." She turned and almost ran from the kitchen--if one could stagger-run. Or run-stagger. 

They were silent for a bit. Then Rocket said "What. In the universe...?"

"Is she ill?" Drax sounded concerned. 

"I'll go check on her." Peter stood up. "Back in a sec."

He headed down the hall. Gamora's room's door was closed. He hesitated for a moment, then rapped lightly. "Gamora?" 

Nothing. Concerned, he leaned against the door and listened. He winced when he heard dry-heaving. "Hey, I'm coming in, okay?" He cracked the door slightly and stepped in. Gamora was sitting curled-up next to the sink, forehead resting on her knees. He leaned down and lightly touched her shoulder. She glanced up slowly, eyes dull and sunken. 

"You okay?" he asked softly.

She stared for a moment, then seemed to consider the question. "I feel awful."

"I can see that." Peter glanced at her. "Is this...normal?"

"No. At least, it wasn't while I was with Thanos." She shrugged slightly. "I suppose it could be from not being tuned-up in a while, but..."

"Maybe it's just a bug." 

She gave him a flat but humored look. "Maybe."

Peter patted her shoulder. "I'm sure you'll be fine tomorrow. Let us know if you need anything, alright?"

She smiled weakly at him. "Okay. Thanks."

***

But she wasn't better the next day.

Or the day after.

Or the day after.

A little over a week since the first incident, Gamora had emerged from her room and tried to eat something, but had wound up running off again. The others, shrugging, sat down to breakfast. 

"This is most odd," Drax remarked.

"I am Groot." The little tree sounded worried.

"You're telling me," Rocket muttered."What, with the way she's been so sick, every day, same time, you'd almost think she was..." He trailed off as he slowly looked up from his food and saw everyone else in shock. 

"No." He finished weakly.

"It cannot be." Drax agreed.

"I'm gonna go talk to her." Peter got up from the table.

***

He found Gamora curled up against the bulkheads in the engine room, chin on her knees and arms wrapped around. She glanced up when Peter came in, then turned and gazed off into nothing again. Peter slowly, carefully lowered himself down beside her. 

They were quiet for a beat, listening to the sounds of the ship.

"Gamora." He said.

She tensed at her name, but said nothing.

"What happened?" He asked gently.

For a moment, he thought nothing would happen. It surprised him when she sighed. "A month before Thanos sent me and Nebula to Ronan, I was sent to retrieve tribute from a warlord ruler on a subjugated planet. The negotiations were going well, and that evening, I was headed up to my room. He was waiting, and he knocked me out with an EMP. I woke up alone in a cell. I climbed out a window and that was that. Her voice broke. "Or so I thought."

"So...um...did..." Peter realized just _how_ screwy this was.

Thankfully, she did, too. "I couldn't tell. I figured it didn't matter if he had. I guess it does."

"You know, most people would have a way harder time dealing with this sort of thing."

Her shoulders lifted slightly. "I'm used to it." She sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. Peter waited.

"I've tried to deny it. But there's no point anymore." She was really crying now, and it scared him. He'd never seen her so vulnerable. "I--I'm _pregnant_. What am I going to _do_?"

He didn't know what else to say. He reached over and cautiously wrapped an arm around her. She stiffened for a second, then leaned in, grasping his shirt in her fists, clinging to him like a lifeline and sobbing. He held back, firmly but not tightly, while she cried herself out.

It might have been hours, might have been days later when she pulled back, eyes red and face blotchy. "I'm sorry, I--" 

"Don't apologize," Peter said sternly, and she started, glanced at him. "None of this is your fault." She said nothing, simply pressed up against him again. He wrapped his arm around her, and they sat there for an indeterminate amount of time. 

After a while, he said, "We do need to think about what we're going to do, though."

She glanced up to meet his eyes. "Practical matters, I mean. What do we know about your...needs for this whole thing?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure." Peter noticed that she had moved her right hand to her abdomen and hadn't moved it since. "I...honestly wasn't even sure if this could happen, but apparently it can, so, I have no idea."

"I'm sure the Nova Corps will," Peter said. "I'll contact Dey soon." He hesitated, glancing down at Gamora. "Are you...okay with this?"

Gamora stared blankly at the wall. "I. I don't know what I think. Actually, yes, I do. I'm terrified. I don't know if I can do this," her hand clasped her stomach tighter, "or if we can, or if I can even carry, much less give birth, or if the Stone somehow hurt them, and if Thanos ever tries to find me..." 

And Peter stopped listening to the words and just listened to what she said.

She tapered off when she realized that she was rambling and Peter was shushing her gently. "Gamora." He said, and she met his eyes. "You want this. In fact, you really want it. Is that true?"

She hesitated. "Yes," she breathed. "I've always wanted children."

"Then we'll make it work." Peter gave her a soft smile. "We made a team work with a group of outlaws and thugs. We defeated Ronan the Accuser and saved Xandar. Surely we can figure out how to care for a baby."

 She shook her head, grinning so hard she almost seemed to glow. "Truly, the heavens blessed me that day on Xandar." 

"Ah, well, I think I have some curse in me, too," he said as he helped her up. "Course, it's in the minority, but..."

She rolled her eyes. 

The two of them made their way back to the galley, where Drax, Rocket and Groot sat at the table, waiting. They all glanced over at their two friends. Then Drax slowly stood. "Friend Gamora, you are, and shall be a wonderful mother. I have no doubt."

"Yeah, well. I guess having one more running about the ship can't hurt," Rocket said, in what he probably thought was a very gruff tone. "Just keep 'em away from this guy," he half-heartedly waved at Groot. "You'll never be able to get the kid offa him."

"I am Groot." Groot piped solemnly.

Tears tracked down Gamora's cheeks. "Thank you all. So much."

Admittedly, one of Peter's favorite things about the team was the spontaneous group hugging.  

***

One month later, he and Gamora were strolling down the street of a bustling market.

"Why am I here, Peter?" Gamora demanded quietly, pulling the hooded jacket she'd worn over her head a bit further.

"Well, I know you don't wanna hear this, but we're going clothes-shopping."

" _Clothes._ " She repeated.

"Yes, because whether you want to admit it or not, soon none of your usual leathers and such will fit you." Sure enough, it seemed as though her body had been waiting for the catharsis of her admission earlier, for not too long afterwards, she'd started showing. Not much, admittedly, but enough that the team could tell.

"Now, I probably could've just come all by my lonesome and gotten you some things, but I'd rather you don't hate wearing your own clothes, so in my infinite generosity I invited you along."

"I see." Gamora sighed. "Let's get it over with." 

Peter nodded and opened the door to the shop. 

It amazed him still that aliens had thrift stores, and this one was no different. Rows of racks, and clothes seemingly from every culture in the universe. 

"Okay, women's clothes are over here," Peter said, leading her to a rack. She sighed and began digging through the piles of clothes. Peter, meanwhile, started skimming the men's rack for the heck of it. The only interesting things he found were a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with some sort of band logo on it. He draped them over his arm and turned to look for Gamora. 

She came up to him with three or four shirts and two soft pairs of pants. "Nearly all of the shirts were so..."

"Tacky?"

"Yes," she responded, though she didn't know what 'tacky' meant. "These were the only ones that looked relatively interesting."

He glanced at her stack. Three of the shirts were black. He stifled a smirk. 

"I'm just going to look at the men's rack. I'm pretty small, they'd probably fit for another couple months. Here, hold my stack."

She dumped her clothes onto Peter and turned to look. Peter sighed and glanced around impatiently. He hoped they could get back to the Milano without attracting attention. 

Gamora turned with three more shirts. He accepted them tiredly and then headed to the counter. 

***

Somehow, Peter wound up alone on his ship with a toddler-tree and a pregnant ex-assassin, and he was seriously considering shooting himself with his stun gun, if only to escape for a few hours.

Dealing with their situation was complicated enough without bringing anyone who harbored less-than-honorable intentions towards them into the mix. There were many people out in the world who hated Gamora especially. Therefore, they'd decided it was too risky for her to go on missions after a certain point, which didn't improve her mood any. They'd already had her checked out a few times; the Nova Corps had provided captured intel about Gamora's body structure, and after consulting with a few doctors, came to the conclusion that she should be able to carry fine and was already progressing normally. However, she was still sick off and on.

And of course, today had to wind up being one of those days.

Peter was underneath the counter in the galley, trying to tune up the systems in the heating unit, when Gamora stumbled in. He blinked, taking in her messy braid, very pale color, and all-around exhausted demeanor. She said nothing, didn't even seem to acknowledge he was there, just dropped into a chair and laid her head on her folded arms on the table.

"Um." He said.

Silence.

He got up and crossed the room, glancing down at his teammate. "You okay?"

A groan in response. "Uh...anything I can do?" She shook her head quickly, somehow without moving it from the table.

"'Kay." Peter shoved his hands in his pockets and stood awkwardly. "Um."

Thankfully, Groot suddenly came running in, short legs flying, and grabbed the cuff of Peter's pants and tugged. "What's up, little guy?"

"I am Groot," he held up his communicator.

"Crap, I forgot to turn the main one back on." He took the device. "Rocket?"

"Hey, Pete. Slight change in plans."

Peter sighed. "What did you do?" Groot looked anxious and even Gamora raised her head from the table.

"Well, apparently some of my old pals happened to be passin' through...long story short, we need a new pick-up spot."

"Okay then," Peter sighed. "Where is it?"

When Rocket listed the coordinates, Gamora raised her head again. "That's in the asteroid field. What are you doing there?"

"Um, we may or may not be hitching a ride on another ship."

"I am Groot." Groot sounded positively scolding, and Peter wasn't sure whether he should be entertained or revel in how adorable it was.

"So you ran afoul of some of your acquaintances from before, may or may not have had a skirmish with them, somehow either losing or destroying the ship you went on, and are now hitchhiking, unbeknownst to the owner of said vessel," Gamora said.

"Yes."

Peter pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. "Guess I'd better go set those coordinates up, then."

"It's a really crowded belt," Gamora said, seeming slightly more alert now. "It's difficult to program without knowing what you're up against. I've been there once. I'll help." She stood up carefully, and Peter found his gaze drawn to her hand as it absently went to where her lower stomach was just filling out her loose-fitting grey shirt. If he were to be honest, it was still weird for him to think of Gamora as a mom. Then again, he supposed he'd only known her--and the others, for that matter--for a few months. Funny, how hard it was to remember what it was like before.

He followed her up into the cockpit, trying to make sure she didn't get too dizzy while trying not to appear as if he were doing just that. She didn't have much trouble, but seemed glad to sink into the copilot's chair. He sat down beside her and fiddled with his walkman, glancing over at her occasionally as she ran the calculations for navigating. She still looked a bit pale.

He turned an air vent so it was directing a stream of cool air towards her. She raised her head and let it wash over her face, sighing a bit. "Thanks."

"No problem," he said easily, propping his feet up. "That, I can help with."

She smiled softly to herself as she finished programming the jump in. Groot came bouncing up the steps, apparently lonely, and strapped himself in one of the other seats. "I am Groot?"

"Yep, got it." Peter said. "Off we go, I guess." There was a bit of a jolt and a thrumming in the ship as they went into higher speed. Gamora leaned back in her seat with a sigh. "It seems strange, it's been so long since I went on that mission."

"How old were you, then? Actually, that's not really a helpful question, since I actually have no clue how old you are, in general," Peter said.

The edges of her lips curled upward slightly. "Neither do I, honestly."

"Oh. Sorry."

"I know I'm around your age, or at least somewhere near it. I'm not altered enough to be immortal," she said half-playfully.

"I am Groot."

"Now I'm wondering how old Groot is."

 Gamora laughed at that one. "He evidently grows pretty fast. I mean, the whole incident with the Dark Aster was three months ago and he's already two feet tall. He certainly grows faster than most humanoids." She splayed her palm across her lower stomach absently.

"...Yeah, about that. Out of curiosity, how far along are you? Roundabouts."

She puzzled over it for a moment before responding "Five months? I think?"

"Huh. And how long does your species terms last?"

"I think around the same time as a terran's."

"Sooo..." Peter trailed off for a minute, doing the mental math, "...you're halfway through? Almost?"

"I suppose so," she nodded. Then she smiled softly. "Enough at least that I can feel this."

She grasped Peter's wrist and set his hand against her side. He felt nothing for a moment, then a slight shifting beneath her skin. "Huh," he said, semi-wonderingly.

"I am Groot!" The little tree climbed up the other side of her chair and wrapped his small arms halfway around her in an enthusiastic hug, and she and Peter both laughed. "Sort-of group hug," Peter grinned. "Drax and Rocket are missing out." "I'm sure there will be more opportunities later," Gamora smiled, sinking back into her chair again.

***

 

Rocket was not a man--well, whatever--known for his stupidity. In fact, he was remarkably clever.

And he'd shoot anyone who said otherwise. 

Regardless, there were some things a smart person did not do. Like ignore Gamora's request when she standing in front of him, her red shirt tight over the curve of her abdomen, with an admittedly impressive pleading expression--especially when he knew she could've killed him in two seconds if she'd wanted to--and was craving something. 

"I can't believe this, Groot," he complained to his best friend. "Two legendary criminals, reduced to buying-" he pulled out a list "Ugh. I don't even know what some of this stuff is!"

"I am Groot." _I think it's good that we're doing this. She doesn't seem to want much that we have on the ship. She should probably eat more._

"Ah, yeah," Rocket grumbled half-heartedly. "Anyway, how hard can it be to find some... _gharbarad fruit??_ I give up."

The two of them found a stall and gathered plenty of the requested items. Rocket noted that Groot added in a few of his favorite snacks, as well, and rolled his eyes. They marched the stuff to the counter. There, Rocket discovered that the fruit they were searching for was actually illegal on this planet. 

"Great." Rocket grumbled. He glanced at Groot. "Whaddya think of trying to work a deal out tonight, buddy?" 

"I am Groot." _Sounds like fun._

***

The thing was, experience was a pretty darned good teacher. And thanks to experience, he could tell the black market from a mile away. 

"So. What've you got on ya worth trading?" he said lowly to Groot as they stepped in the door.  

"I am Groot." _I don't have anything._

"Oh. Right. Well, erm, I have my gun, and a few cybernetics chips, I s'pose. Think that'll be enough?"

"I am Groot." _No idea._  

"Well, we'll see." Rocket strode toward a booth. "Hello there, my good sir. We are here to inquire about obtaining some gharbarad fruit."

The man glanced up slowly. "That's a pretty stiff price. What've ya got to offer?"

"Well, I have this--" Rocket dumped his launcher onto the table, "--and some cybernetic memory chips."

The guy picked up the gun and examined it, and Rocket restrained himself from growling about the grubby mitts all over his gun. "Yeah...not gonna do it," the guy said. 

Rocket thought quickly. "I also have a recently-constructed bridge on a nearby planet that I can sell you," he said with a completely straight face.

That got the guy's attention. "Do you, now?"

"Yep. Right near a development, very sturdily and handsomely constructed."

"Hmm. You wouldn't happen to have the deed?"

Okay. The guy was a moron, but apparently had a tiny bit of a clue. "Not on me, but I can get it within the hour." 

"Get that, and you've got a deal." 

***

An hour later, Rocket and Groot showed up at a pre-approved meeting place. The guy--and apparently a bunch of his bigger, brawnier friends were waiting. 

Rocket strode up and held up a folded piece of paper. The guy grabbed for it, and Rocket pulled it back. "Ah ah ah. Where's my products?"

The guy grumbled and pulled out a clear bag full of the fruits. Rocket bared his teeth in a smile. "Okay, here's your title." He snatched the bag and gave them the paper. "Nice doing business with you gentlemen." He strode out, dragging Groot behind him. "Hurry," he urged as soon as they were outside. 

"I am Groot?" _What did you do?_

"Just hurry, 'kay?" He glanced behind them for a few minutes. They weren't being followed, so far as he could tell. He sighed.

Too soon.

"There he is! Little rodent tricked us!"

"Run!" He said to Groot, scrambling onto his shoulder. Groot took off. Rocket could see the brute squad following, and growled. "Talk about a bad time to trade my gun..." They were coming closer. "Hurry, Groot, they're gaining!"

He ducked as a rock flew over his head. He glanced around desperately, and spotted--oh the irony--a bridge.

"Groot, turn as though you're going onto the bridge, then get in the water."

"I am Groot?" _What?_

"You heard me."

Groot obediently turned, and Rocket braced himself. The water was cold, and murky. The bottom of the river was slimy. He faintly heard thundering footsteps overhead. Then silence. Then, a hand wrapped around his wrist. 

He drew in a gasp as he broke the surface, and glanced at Groot, who grinned at him. "Quit smilin', you're a professional," Rocket grumbled halfheartedly as he shook himself off. "Let's head back."

***

Drax and Peter were silent when Groot and Rocket strode through the cockpit dripping water. Rocket was sure that his fur was quite a sight. Peter finally sighed. "Do I even wanna know?"

"Probably not," Rocket said flatly. "You know where Gamora is?"

"In her room," Drax replied. 

"'Kay." Rocket clambered down the ladder and stepped into Gamora's room. The warrior in question was sitting on the bed, sharpening a set of knives. She glanced up when he entered, then stared. "Rocket...?"

"Half a dozen gharbarad fruits, along with the other foods you requested," he said cheerfully, handing her the bag. She accepted it, looking confused. "Thank you, I suppose. Did you have any trouble...?"

"Nah. Happy to help." Rocket smiled nonchalantly, and Gamora hesitatingly smiled back. "Just...actually eat some of it, kay? I dunno how you feed one person on your tiny appetite, much less two."

Gamora chuckled slightly, hand now resting on her visibly curved stomach. "Okay."

Rocket gave her a cocky salute, then strode off to the shower.

***

It was early in the morning a couple months later when they got a call from the Nova Corps. Groot woke Gamora, and she rolled out of bed, pulling a cardigan around her shoulders and following him to the communal room. Peter and the others glanced at her when she came in, then turned back to where Dey was talking. "She was spotted on a planet here, and then here. That was when she showed up on a planet of Thanos' domain with an army of Chitauri. We're not sure whether this is for Thanos, or against him."

Gamora realized that they were talking about Nebula, and her heart pounded. The baby must have felt it, because she felt it shifting and lightly kicking inside her. She smoothed a hand down the front of her shirt.

"We got the call from civilians who say they're being held hostage. We'll send enough forces to take down the army, but we need you guys to make sure the hostages are safe."

Peter glanced at the others. "We'll be there in seven hours."

Dey nodded, and the comm faded out. 

"When are we leaving?" Gamora asked.

Peter shook his head at her. "I'm sorry, Gamora, but we'd like you to sit this one out."

"My sister's out there, Peter," she begged.

"I know. And I promise we won't hurt her if we don't have to."

Rocket snorted. " _You_ promise."

Peter ignored him. "But you know what happened last time we saw her. Your presence could trigger her, even if things were normal. And we don't want either of you to get hurt." 

The baby kicked again. Gamora stroked the spot, sighing. "You're right." 

Peter patted her shoulder. "Groot'll stay here with you, just it case. We're only a couple months away, now. It doesn't hurt to be careful."

"I am Groot." 

"I'll be careful if you'll be, you big softy." Rocket punched Groot's leg lightly. To Gamora, he said "Take care of yourself. I promise I'll restrain myself from blowing her head off, no matter how much I want to."

Gamora chuckled sadly. "Better than nothing, I suppose. Thank you, Rocket."

Drax nodded to her. "We will fight hard enough to count for all of us."

Gamora nodded, then turned and headed back to her room. 

***

Groot found her five hours later in the engine room, crouching and tuning-up the cooling system. She sighed and sat back with a bit of difficulty, setting down the wrench and running her hand through her hair.

"I am Groot?" And she might not speak Groot, but she could tell that he was concerned.

"It's nothing. Well, no it's not, but..."

Groot sat down across from her and gazed at her with his frankly adorable golden eyes. She sighed again. "It's just that...I feel useless." Groot opened his mouth, and she held up a hand. "Listen. I know you guys don't expect anything of me, and I love you the more for it. I don't regret the baby either, I just..." She was waving her hands around like some kind of moron. "I feel guilty for not being able to help more. And admittedly...time is passing more quickly than I thought it would. I'm honestly scared of giving birth. And there's only a little over a month to go."

Groot continued to watch her for a bit. "I am Groot." _You don't have to feel guilty or be afraid. We're here for you. That's what friends are for._

She smiled a bit. "Thanks, Groot."

The two of them heard a clang. Gamora glanced up, grasping the side of the unit and carefully pulling herself to her feet. "They shouldn't be back this soon." She started to glance out the door, but Groot hurried over and positioned himself in front of her. She felt a bit of warmth in her chest all over again. Cautiously, the two of them crept into the hall.

Only to freeze at the sight of a blue cyborg staring at them. 

Nebula.

Groot immediately shielded her, growling out a low "I am Groot" at the sight of her. Gamora drew out a knife while still gazing at her sister. She was completely still, just staring at the two of them. But when Gamora raised the knife, Nebula moved incredibly fast, whipping out an electric disabler which fired a blast hard enough to knock the knife from her grasp. 

"Look, I just want to talk to you. Is that so hard?" The low voice that had haunted her nightmares for months said.

"I am Groot," Groot rumbled threateningly. 

"Groot," Gamora put a hand on his shoulder. "Let me talk to her."

Groot gazed at her for a moment, then hesitantly stepped aside. Gamora took a step forward. "I'll warn you that he's nearly indestructible and rather terrifying when angry." 

"I'll keep it in mind." Nebula said dryly, her own posture relaxed. Gamora, meanwhile, was tense, arms folded protectively over her abdomen. She hadn't missed how Nebula's gaze kept flitting to her bump. Her sister was not as subtle as she thought she was. 

"Did _Quill_ do that?" Nebula asked, sounding as though the words tasted bad. 

"No." Gamora shook her head. "Peter isn't the father." 

"What happened, and when." It wasn't a question.

"Darnax. Xenia." She said flatly. She didn't want to dwell on it, and Nebula would know who he was. 

"Bastard," she snarled under her breath. "Glad I took care of him." 

Gamora let out a breath slowly. She wouldn't admit it, but that was a relief. "Why are you here, Nebula? Why are you doing this?"

Nebula shrugged. "Daddy likes his tribute. I figured I'd take it."

"He's going to kill you, Nebula."

"And I will welcome it." Her tone was dark. 

Gamora shook her head. 

"And you? How have your friends treated you?" 

"Very well, actually." She said, refusing to let her sister hit a weak spot. "Better than Thanos ever has, by a million fold."

"Hmm."

"Speaking of which, where are they?" Gamora asked, trying to keep her voice level.

Nebula waved a hand dismissively. "They're fine. By the time they got there, the defenses were so open that the rodent could've rescued them all himself." She ignored Groot's growling noise.

There was an awkward, tense beat of silence. Gamora swallowed hard, trying to calm the pounding in her chest and the fluttering in her stomach as the baby continued to kick.

"What are you going to do?" Gamora cursed herself. She hadn't meant to actually ask. 

Nebula shrugged. "Steal a ship and wander, I guess."

"You could stay. If they forgave me, they can forgive you." 

Nebula snorted. "It sounds so easy. But nothing for us ever turns out that way, does it?" But she sounded sad rather than derogatory. 

Gamora heard a distant sound of footsteps. Nebula's head cocked ever so slightly. "I'd best be going." She glanced over her shoulder. "Watch your back, sister." 

Gamora inclined her head. "I will if you will watch yours."

That brought a near-feral grin. "Have I ever done differently?" 

She disappeared down the corridor, and Gamora sagged back slightly. Groot steadied her. "I am Groot?" He asked worriedly, but she was already standing. "I'm fine, Groot. Let's go meet the others." 

She and Groot stopped in the meeting room, since Gamora couldn't really climb the ladder anymore. Peter was climbing down when they arrived. "How did it go?" Gamora asked, in what she hoped was close to her normal voice.

"Surprisingly well, actually. No sign of Nebula when we got there. The hostages were all fine. Chitauri were a bit difficult, but all's well." He turned around, dusting his hands off, and arched an eyebrow at her. "You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine."

***

  
_Of course,_ a remnant of Kree forces decided to attack a peaceful settlement at _this_ time. It just figured.

Peter was running ahead of Drax, Rocket, and Groot. He ducked as a spear flew over his head as he sprinted up the ramp with the intent of starting the ship. But the instant he set foot inside, he could tell something was wrong. And then he heard Gamora screaming his name.

He ran down the hall and found her sagged against the wall. She gazed up at him with wide, terrified eyes, arms wrapped around her middle. The floor around her was soaked with water.

"Shhh..." Peter left the curse unsaid. He heard a clanging as the others ran up the ramp. "Guys, get down here as soon as you can!" He turned to Gamora, who was panting, though he couldn't tell whether it was from pain or fear. "Just...try to stay calm," he said, trying to catch his own breath from running for his life.

She managed a short, breathy laugh. "You were yelling a second ago. It's not very reassuring." 

"Sorry," he said. "When did...this start?" 

She shrugged, her face pinched. "I've been feeling off since yesterday. But I've...been here for an hour or two?"

It was definitely from a contraction, now. She gritted her teeth and let her head fall back against the wall, grasping his sleeve tightly. He shifted and let her grasp his hand, instead. After maybe twenty seconds, she relaxed slightly with a sigh. 

Peter heard footsteps, and then a curse from Rocket. "This figures. This just figures. Now, and we're in the middle of fu-- _fudging_ nowhere." 

"Rocket," Peter said sternly.

"I know, I just..." Rocket pulled his paws through his fur. "It stresses me out when I can't immediately solve something."

Gamora was tensing against him again, and Peter was really struggling to keep his cool. He smoothed her hair lightly with his free hand while Rocket continued to ramble. All of them were huddled in the hallway by now, the ship was on autopilot to head back to their region of space. 

"I am Groot?"

"Heck if I know, buddy." Rocket groaned.

There was a beat. Then Drax broke the silence. "Rocket, could you go and fetch some towels and a blanket or two?"

Rocket opened his mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again. Then turned and ran off. Drax turned to Groot. "Tree friend, please go and get some hot water." Groot nodded, eager to help, and set off himself. Drax knelt down to eye level with Peter and Gamora, who were staring at him. "By the time we need it, the water will be warm."

"You've...you've done this before," Peter said disbelievingly. 

"Of course," Drax said. "With my own daughter and some of the other children in our village." He hesitated, glancing at Gamora. "If it is alright with you..."

She huffed out a laugh. "We don't exactly have any alternatives." She let a breath out slowly. "And...I trust you." 

Rocket returned and awkwardly held the stack of cloth out to Drax. Drax thanked him and began laying the towels out on the floor. Peter averted his eyes, face flaming, and awkwardly stared at the bulkhead above them. Gamora squeezed his hand gently and smiled. "It's safe now."

He blinked and tore his eyes from the ceiling. Gamora was tucked under a blanket from her waist to her bent knees. 

Groot had apparently just returned with the water, because he and Drax were carefully setting the tub down. "How long is the break between pains?" Drax asked Gamora. Almost on cue, she shuddered and drew a shaky breath. Peter kept a comforting grip on her hand. When the spell ended, she sagged against him, breathless. "Two minutes?" 

Drax nodded. "Then all we can do is wait, I'm afraid."

Gamora gave a quick nod, taking a deep breath through her nose. Peter could tell that she was trying her best to stay calm and not panic. It must've been hard. 

After witnessing a couple of pushes, Rocket excused himself, mumbling something about piloting and making sure they were on course. Groot trailed after him, presumably to keep him company. Peter understood why he was uncomfortable. This whole situation was friggin awkward, and it was unsettling to see Gamora sprawled on the floor and in the throes of labor. Peter probably would've run off, as well...if it weren't for her tight grasp on his hand and the fact that he could tell that he was anchoring her. He didn't speak, aside from encouraging murmurs whenever she sank against his shoulder. He forgot how long he'd been there, her grasp wearing pressure marks into his palm, forgot about space and time, forgot about everything outside this hallway; the only remaing thought being _holy crap, the baby's actually coming._

It took him awhile to notice her rapid, shaky breaths, but when he did, he immediately started stroking the crown of her head. "Shhh, it's okay, you're okay. You're fine."

"I can't do this," she whispered shakily. "I can't do this, I can't, I can't..." She tensed, wincing with a soft whine.

"Yeah, you can. You can, you're already doing well. You can do this. We're not going anywhere," he repeated mindlessly, sighing a bit in relief as her breaths grew steadier.

He wasn't sure how long it had been--an hour? Two?--when Drax said "You are close, Gamora. Continue like this, and you will be holding your little one soon."

"Easy for you to say," Gamora whispered, the sound trailing into a whimper as she pushed again. Peter flinched. Her grip was starting to hurt. 

At the next push, she gave a sharp cry, which startled Peter, since she hadn't made a sound above a gasp this whole time. And on the next push, she actually screamed. The sound grew higher in pitch...until it suddenly broke off, interrupted by a smaller, but still shrill, cry. Peter just caught a glimpse of Drax holding a small, thrashing shape covered from head to toe in black blood before he turned away.

Gamora slumped against him, and he shifted so she was leaning on his chest. She gazed up at him, wide-eyed and panting. He realized he was staring, too. He rubbed her shoulder comfortingly. "See? You did it." She managed a small smile.

They were both distracted when Drax leaned over and laid a tiny shape, wrapped loosely in one of the blankets into her arms. "You have a daughter, Gamora." 

She cradled the tiny baby and pressed her to her chest, stroking the small back gently. "Hi," she whispered breathlessly, and Peter hoped he wasn't the only one with something in his eye. 

Once he'd blinked a couple times, he leaned slightly to get a better look at the baby. "Gamora's spawn," as Rocket had fondly dubbed her during the pregnancy, was small, and had skin a slight shade lighter green than her mother's. There was a slight bit of dark hair on her head, and her tiny fist barely fit around Gamora's finger. 

"I am Groot!" Peter glanced up, unsure of how long Rocket and Groot had been standing there. 

"Yes, Groot, she's adorable," Rocket sighed. "And no, you can't hold her yet. Lay off Gamora for a bit."

Groot nodded, but smiled brightly at Gamora, who beamed back at him. She nestled back against Peter. The baby tossed her head slightly with a soft sound, but settled against her mother's chest again. Gamora sighed. "Thank you. All of you." She lowered her gaze to her newborn, practically glowing. "I don't know if I could've done any of this without you." 

"Nope. We were vital to this whole operation's success," Rocket wisecracked. Groot lightly tapped his head. "I am Groot." Drax patted her knee before standing and gathering some of the items off the floor and heading off.

As for Peter, he just rested his chin on her head and enjoyed her not pulling away.


End file.
